Services

Tools

Fontenelle Forest represents an increasingly rare urban commodity: spacious, preserved green space just a stone’s throw from downtown. More than just trees in the midst of a city, Fontenelle Forest is a full-feature, family-friendly nature destination, with more than enough to occupy a few hours–or even a whole day–for the outdoors inclined.

So, what exactly is Fontenelle Forest? Good question. Unlike the plethora of parks in the Omaha area, the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, along with the Neale Woods Nature Center, is a vast ecosystem and trail network, both far larger and more diverse than anything else in the Omaha.

Fontenelle ForestThe Fontenelle Nature Association operates 26 miles of trails across more than 1,400 acres of protected land. The land has been managed since 1913, leading to an uncommon biodiversity given its urban location (depending on the season, look out for wildflowers, turkeys, deer, pelicans, changing leaves, bullfrogs, elderberries, and marsh life, like turtles and opossums, not to mention over 250 species of birds!).

Open 8AM – 5PM, the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center is your first stop to learning about what’s new at the forest. They’ll point you in the direction of the best trails, including the kid favorite Riverview Boardwalk. In addition to hiking trails (open dawn to dusk) and the nature center, the forest features a children’s camps, a gift shop, and picnic facilities.

Fontenelle Forest Play AreaCheck the Fontenelle Nature Association’s quarterly Leaflet to see what special programs, speakers,and tours are currently being offered. Dinoquest, for example, featured over 40 life-sized dinosaur replicas walking, flying, and scampering around the stroller-friendly Riverview Boardwalk. How cool is that?

To learn more about anything FNA related, from renting the Great Hall for a wedding to signing your child up for summer camp, check out their website: http://www.fontenelleforest.org/